Songbirds Stats + Snippets

Since November, most of my writing has been focused on my NaNoWriMo novel, Songbirds. It’s sort of a futuristic fantasy about an elite military group and lots of political things. It’s been a challenge to write but also great fun. While the story rambles in places and has weird pacing, I love the characters so much.

After two months of writing, the first draft is complete!

Here are the stats:Finished: January 3, 2016 at 12:21AM.Chapters: 58Words: 73,009

And a few random facts:

It’s the third-longest first draft I’ve ever written.

The primary cast are all extroverts (which was a fun challenge to write, considering I’m definitely an introvert!).

Of my two narrators, I think Kady is my favorite.

But Tiergan may be my favorite character of the novel.

And some snippets:

This is the seventh summer I’ve spent here at this house. Of those seven, it is the first in a long time in which I haven’t spent most of the day with Cas. When our fathers first began campaigning together, we didn’t know each other well. We bonded over games and schoolwork complaints while our parents dragged us along to speeches and parties.

“That’s not the point.” “Then what is?” Zaylor crosses his arms and leans with one shoulder against the wall. “If Tiergan or I wanted to press the issue, we could have regarded it as a refusal of a direct order. The point is—the point is that you refused to give a reason.” “Not every aspect of my life is your business, Kady.”

Tears sting my eyes. My feet are glued to this spot in the doorway. If I take a step, the song will stop. I’m an eavesdropper here, intruding on a moment that was probably never meant to be overheard.

By the time I grab my bag and get out of the car, Hal is already on the front porch. Despite the initial look of confusion, he smiles. “Back so soon?” “Do you mind? I’ll be gone by the weekend.” “I guess it’s fine.” He follows me through the door. “What’s up this time?” “Does something need to be up for me to visit?” “No but it usually is.”